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Centennial ^nniueroarn 



OF THK 



CONGREGATIONAL CKURCII. 



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HISTORICAL DISCOURSE 



DELIVERED AT 



THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 



OF THE 



CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 



TISr ^VARNER, ^. H., 



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HENRY S^ HUNTINGTON 



PASTOR OF THE CHUKCH. 



^WITH A BEIEP ACCOUNT 0? THE EXERCISES OF THE DAY. 



CONCORD 

1872. 




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ACCOUNT OF THE EXERCISES OF THE CENTEN- 
NIAL CELEBRATION. 



The 5th of February completed one hundred years of the 
existence of the Congregational Church in Warner, N. H. 
At a meeting prior to that day, a vote was passed to observe 
the Centennial, and the time fixed upon was the 12th of 
June. On the evening of the anniversary, however, a pray- 
er-meeting was held, and the covenant of the early church 
and extracts from the records were read. 

On the June day appointed, a large congregation of towns- 
people, former residents, and friends from near and far, came 
together to commemorate the event. 

The church edifice was beautifully decorated with flowers 
about the pulpit, and festoons and wreaths of evergreen on 
the walls, and the names of the nine pastors were arranged 
in the form of a cross between the dates 1T72 and 1872. 
Above them were the words, " Thy faithfulness is unto all 
generations," in evergreen, and opposite, along the gallery, 
"Jesus Christ being the chief corner-stone." 

Rev. Mr. Jewett of Fisherville made the invocation pray- 
er, and Rev. Dr. Bouton the one before the address ; and 
Psalm cxxii, and the last eight verses of Ephesians ii were 
read by the former. The anthem : " They that trust in the 
Lord," and the hymn: "I love thy kingdom. Lord," were 
sung. After which came the^address by the Pastor, Rev, 
Henry S. Huntington, a brief recess being taken, during 



which the congregation joined in singing "Glorious things 
of thee are spoken.*' 

After the close of the exercises in the forenoon, an ample 
and elegant collation was served in the vestry and ladies' 
room, in the basement of the church; and then the people 
re-assembled, and Stephen S. Bean, Esq., was called to the 
chair. Prayer Avas offered by Rev. ^Tr. Bard of Dunbarton, 
and various sentiments and responses, interspersed with 
singing, occupied the next two hours. 

Rev. Dr. Bouton of Concord, in the most cordial terms, 
expressed his gratification at being present, and interested 
every one M'ith his reminiscences of the pastors of the church 
in Warner, with every one of Avhom, except the first, he had 
been personally acquainted. He had assisted at the ordina- 
tion or installation of seven out of the nine. He said that 
in connection with the pastorate of Rev. ^Mr. Woods, the 
church had an infiaence all over New Hampshire; for in the 
General Association his example was brought up of gathering 
the children into a Sabbath-school, and this was recom- 
mended for adoption in all the churches. At the ordination 
of Mr. Wellman, "the council met in the evening, in a lit- 
tle one-story house, to examine the candidate, all strangers 
to him, an humble, sincere, conscientious and successful min- 
ister." "Then the seasons of refreshing, when the Spirit 
moved over the hearts of the people like waves of harvest. 
Thank God for those memories." 

He spoke of the name of the town, Warner, (the only 
one'so named in the United States,) called after Col. Daniel 
Warner, one of His Majestj^s Councillors. (It Avas after- 
wards said that this officer gave fortv dollars towards build- 



ing a bridge, on condition that the new town should bear 
his name.j 

Rev, Mr. Buxton of Webster had the training of children 
for his theme. "If you train a chikl in the way he slioukl 
go, his religion is secure. Dedicate your children to God; 
train them in infancy, and trust to His covenant." 

"The Bible and the Hvmn ]jook" Mas tlie sentiment to 
Avhich Rev. Mr. Jewett responded, alluding to the Psalm- 
singing Puritans, and to Oliver Cromwell, whose soldiers 
marched into battle singing psalms. The Bible, Pilgrim's 
Progress, and Paradise Lost were three books on which our 
fathers fed. 

Rev. Mr. Terry of PLiistow, and Rev. 'Slv. Bullard of 
Hampstead, both of Avhose churches were represented in the 
first council in Warner, in 1772, spoke in a way Avhich de- 
lighted the audience. The first mentioned many links of as- 
sociation between the two churches^ — the relationship runs- 
down all through the century. He referred to the late Rev. 
H. O. Howland, a former pastor of the Warner church, as 
he knew him in Amherst College: "calm, quiet, studious, 
patient, noble-hearted, faithful, true." He spoke of the 
jnen of one hundred years ago, who laid the foundations in 
faith and hope and prayer. "Did not these men show that 
they believed in God.' Let one hundred years answer. 
What were they doing when they organized a church i Not 
07i,c day's work, as it looked. The church, founded on what 
the ministers preached and what the mothers taught, carried 
education, free government, and sound principles, and 
passed them over to coming generations. It was pledged . 
to God to do so." 



6 

Rev. Mr. BuUard spoke of the education of the young, 
contrasting some old and new notions in a racy and enter- 
taining manner. On the whole, he said, looking back over 
one hundred years, he concluded that there had been as 
much happiness in the old-fashioned Puritan i\imilies as 
could be found anywhere. 

A sentiment referring to our country mms responded to by 
ex-Go V. Harriman (who is a native of this town). He 
glanced at the Pilgrims, and then at the present; speaking 
of the results of ninety years of government, of our na- 
tional grandeur., prosperity and progress ; and at the close 
of his address, "America" was sung by the congregation. 

A poem of much merit, written for the occasion by Alfred 
W. Sargent, a young member of the church, was read by 
him ; communications and letters were read by the chairman ; 
after which, the Sacrament was administered by Rev. Mr. 
Bullard and Rev. Mr. Terry. 

In the evening there was a social reunion, at which many 
reminiscences were given, other letters were read, also, a 
poem, written by Mrs. L. K. Davis, a member of the church; 
and remarks were made by several persons from abroad, 
among whom were Hon. Stephen C. Badger and Rev. Daniel 
Sawyer, formerly of Warner. 

Among the letters read at different times were very inter- 
esting ones from Gov. E. A. Straw and Rev. I. D. Stewart 
and E. S. Hoyt of Portland, Maine (all natives of the town); 
from Rev. R. W. Fuller of Stowc, Mass., and Rev. J. W. 
Perkins of New Chester, Wisconsin (former pastors of the 
church); from Rev. Horace Eaton of Palmyra, N. Y.; and 
from Gen. John Eaton of Washington, Commissioner of 



Public Instruction, who made valuable suggestions in regard 
to the great obligations education is under to the church. 

On the Sabbath evening following, there were supplemen- 
tary services in the church; prayer, singing, the reading of 
other letters, remarks by the pastor, and at the close, a most 
eloquent and earnest address by S. S. Bean, Esq., called 
forth by a communication from a lady member of the church, 
on the oneness and perpetuity of the Church of Christ, 
which was, in substance — That the Church of the Lord 
Jesus Christ does not exist in this world simply by the suf- 
ferance of men, for it owes obligation to no earthly power. 
It is not a chartered or licensed institution. Its laws are 
superior to any human statutes. It has a language and a 
people of its own; there is a speech known to all; and, 
however diverse, they yet are one. It knows no distinction 
of class or caste ; riches and poverty lose their meaning ; 
there is neither male nor female, bond nor free, for all are 
one in Christ Jesus. 



It is not fitting to close this account of the centennial ex- 
ercises Avithout making mention of our obligations to the 
Great Head of the Church. We thank and praise Him for 
the band of men and women who first entered into the re- 
lations of a Christian church in this town, and for the many 
who have succeeded them ; for all those who have passed on 
up higher, and are now in the church triumphant above. 



8 

We thank Hliu for our inheritance, and for His unfailing 
care over us for one hundred years. We thank Him that 
we are identified with His cause, and bound with such vast 
numbers in all lands, in a solemn pledge to sustain and carry 
it forward till '"'the mountain of the Lord's house shall be 
established in the top of the mountains." 

Verily, the Lord hath dofte great things for us, whereof 
we are srlad. 



HISTORICAL DISCOURSE. 



In the good providence of God, this Church is permitted 
to-day to celebrate its one hundredth anniversary. We are 
assembled here to recount, with grateful hearts, something 
of the way in which the Lord has led it during all these 
years. But the early history of this church, like most of 
the old Xew England churches, is so connected with the 
early history of the toirn, that the awakening of interest in 
one always renews interest in the other. Let us then, as 
preliminary to an historical sketch of the Church, look back 
at the early days of the town. 

The territory which now constitutes the Town of Warner 
was granted by the Great and General Court of the Prov- 
ince of Massachusetts to certain inhabitants of Amesbury 
and Salisbury, in that Province, as early as 173-5. These 
grantees, or proprietors, held their charter under certain con- 
ditions, which are named in a Report made to the General 
Court of Massachusetts, January 15, 1735, by Edmund 
Quincy, Esq., fioni the Committee of both Houses on Pe- 
titions for Townships, &c. These conditions were as fol- 
lows : '•' That each grantee build a dwelling-house of eighteen 
feet square and seven feet stad, at the least, on their respec- 
tive house-lots; to fence in and break up for ploughing, or 
clear and stock with English grass, five acres of land within 
three years next after their admittance; and cause their re- 
spective lots to be inhabited; and that the grantees do, with- 
in the space of three years from the time of their being admit- 
ted, build and furnish a convenient meeting-house for the pub- 
lic worship of God, and settle a learned Orthodox minister." 
It was required that the grantees be not less than sixty in uum- 



10 

ber, and " that there be sixty-three house-lots laid out in as 
regular, compact and defensible a manner as the land will 
admit of; one of which lots shall be for the first settled min- 
ister, one for the second settled minister, and one for the 
school; to each of which an equal proportion of land shall 
accrue in all future divisions." 

On the 24th day of November, 1736, the General Court 
of Massachusetts passed a vote empowering Deacon Thomas 
Stevens, of Amesbury, to assemble the grantees of ToAvnship 
No. One [now Warner,] for the purpose of making arrange- 
ments to allot and divide their lands. The meeting thus 
authorized was held April 25, 1737, and it was voted to di- 
vide the intervale equally among the proprietors, according 
to quantity and quality; also to divide the upland lots 
"where it may be thought most eligible for settlement." A« 
early as June 23, 1738, sixty-three house-lots, co-ntaining 
about five acres each, had been laid out. Those lots -svere 
in the vicinity of Gen. Aquila Davis's mills. Previously to 
this, in 1736, a division of upland, into sixty-three forty 
acre lots, had been made, which division, though at the time 
unauthorized by the Great and General Court, was afterwards 
legalized. 

On March 21, 1739, the projirietors voted to pay Orlando 
Colby, Joseph Jewell and John Challis, Jr., £120 in Prov- 
ince bills of the old tenor, te build a good saw-mill. The 
mill was accejDted in 1740. It was at Davisville. The men 
who built it camped near the stone Avatering-trough below 
that village. In the hut which they used as a camp, the 
proprietors held their first meeting in the town. 

The proprietors endeavored to induce settlers to move into 
the town by ofterlng, August 29, 1740, £20 to each man 
who would settle upon the conditions of the grunt. As 
early as January 26, 1749, four houses had been built, at the 
cost of the proprietors, on the five-acre building-lots in Da- 
visville. These lots were probably just this side of Charles 



11 

Sawyer's, stretching along on the five-acre lots. The persons 
employed to build them were Thomas Colbyj Moses Mor- 
rill, Jar^4s Ring and Gideon Straw. 

Soon after this, the French and Indian war commencing, 
put an end for the time to all projects for settlement. The 
saw-mill and the four houses which had been erected were 
burned by the Indians, and the progress of civilization was 
stayed for a dozen years. 

Soon after 1740, the lands comprising this Town Avere 
purchased under the name of Jennistown, by sixty inhabi- 
tants of Rye, of persons who derived their title from John 
T. Mason, to whom a part of New Hampshire was granted 
in 1622. This led to controversies between the Rye proprie- 
tors and the Amesbury proprietors, which were settled by a 
grant, Dec. 24, 1769, from the Rye proprietors to the Ames- 
bury proprietors, of all claim to the land, on condition of the 
pavment of a certain sum. Controversy still continued as to 
the sum to be paid, but it was ended in 1773 by the appoint- 
ment of arbitrators, who awarded £140. The General Court 
of Massachusetts, to remunerate tlfe Amesbury proprietors, 
gave them one-half of the townships of Solon and Poland, 
in Maine. 

The terms of this grant from the Rye proprietors to the 
Amesbury proprietors, indicate the same care for religion 
and education which we have seen in the charter granted by 
Massachusetts. Some of these terms were that the grantees 
"lay out three rights or shares of land, one for the use of 
the first minister of the gospel who shall be ordained or set- 
tled there; on^for the use of the ministry in the town for- 
ever; and one for the use of a school, for and towards the 
support thereof forever; — each of said rights to be laid out 
in lots as the grantees manage the other rights, and to be 
free from the charge of settlement or any public taxes to that 
end." Also, " that they build a meeting-house, and main- 
tain constant preaching there from and after the term of 
three years from the date hereof" 



12 

The first actual settlement was made la 176'3, by Daniel 
Annis and his sons-in-law, Reuben Kimball and Daniel 
Floyd. Isaac Waldron, his two sons Isaac Jr. and Theo- 
dore, and Paskcy Pressy, moved into town with their fami- 
lies the year following-. 

Mr. Annis's house was in Diniond's Corner District, on the 
south side of the highway, a little west of where Paine Davis 
now lives. Reuben Kimball at first lived near by, on the 
north side of the highway. Daniel Floyd (or Flood), after- 
wards known as Captain Floyd, lived on Dana hill, or, as it 
was then called, Floyd Hill, where Gardiner Davis now re- 
sides. Annis, Kimball, and Floyd all came iu under the 
Rye proprietors, and had probably lived in the neighbor- 
hood of Rye. 

It is difficult to ascertain the precise order in whicli the 
settlers came afterwards. In 1763, the proprietors voted to 
give each of the first ten settlers a forty-acre lot of upland, 
and five acres of intervale. Some engaged to settle on these, 
or similar conditions. Those mentioned above, and the fol- 
lowing persons, with their families, constituted nearly all the 
pojjulation in ITGo, viz.: Thomas Annis, (from whom "Tom 
Pond" M'a? named), Moses Annis, Solomon Annis, Lieut. Da- 
vid Bagley (town clerk for 39 years), Enoch Blaisdell, 
Elijah Blaisdell, Isaac Chase, Daniel Chase, Abner Chase, 
Joseph Currier, Daniel Currier, Theophilus Currier, Moses 
Clark, Hubbard Carter, Moses Colby, Francis Davis, Eliphu- 
let Danforth, Ebenezer Eastman, Stephen Edmunds, Dan- 
iel Flanders (first town clerk), Philip Flanders, James Flan- 
ders, Christopher Flanders, Jeremy Fowler, Jonathan Fi- 
field, Joseph Foster,' Richard Goodwin, Seth Goodwin, Eze- 
kiel Goodwin, David Gilmore, Robert Gould, Barnard Hoyt, 
Nehemiah Heath, Thomas Rowell, Samuel Roby, Joseph 
Sawyer, Theodore Stephens, Jonathan Smith, Nathaniel 
Trumbull, Jacob Tucker, Abner "VVatkins. Parmenas Watsou, 
and Daniel Youu"'. 



13 

The residences of these first settlers, so far as known, 
were as follows: At Davisville, lived Davis and Gllmore; 
at Dimond's Corner, Thomas Annis, Moses Annis, Solomon 
Annis, and Fifield; at Bagley's Bridge, Bagley and Smith; 
at the Lower Village, Heath, Hoyt, Joseph Currier, Daniel 
Flanders, and Christopher Flanders; at Joppa, Daniel Cur- 
rier, Moses Clark, Watson, and Fowler; at Schoodac, Philip 
Flanders, Seth Goodwin, 'JVumbull, and lloby; on Kelly 
Hill, Abner Chase, Richard Goodwin, and .Joseph Sawyer; 
in the Kimball District, Joseph Foster; on Waldron's Hill, 
Theophilus Currier, Ezekiel Goodwin, Gould, Stephens and 
Rowell; on Burnt Hill, Moses Colby and James Flanders; 
on Pumpkin Plill, Isaac Chase; on Tory Hill, Edmonds and 
Carter. Abner Watkins lived in the Gore; Daniel Young 
on the place noAv owned by Levi Bartlett ; and Jacob Tucker 
in what is now the Centre Village. 

Hannah, daughter of Daniel Annis, and wife of Keuben 
Kimball, came into Warner in 1762., She M'as the first En- 
glish female who ever lived here; and her son Daniel, born 
October, 1762, was the first English child born in the town. 
Mrs. Kimball died in AVarner, Febuary, 23, 182o, aged SS. 
Old inhabitants all remember, as one of the early settlers, 
(though not among the firstj, a negro named Anthony Clarke, 
an old revolutionary soldier, who Avent by the name of 
"Tony," and lived in a hut near where the hotel stands. 
He died some twenty years ago, aged about 102. 

In the year 1800, the inhabitants of Kelly Hill (as it 
was sometimes called j, on which stood the first and second 
meeting-houses, were as follows : As you M'ent up from the 
Lower Village, after passing the meeting-house, first on the left 
a little way up the hill, Avas Rev. Mr. Kelly's; next, Joseph 
Sawyer's; next, on the right hand of the road, the houses of 
Elliot Colby and John Colby. On the road leading towards 
Joppa, on the top of the hill, lived Reuben Kimball. Re- 
turning to the main road, as you went doAvn the hill, on the 



14 

right lived Timothy Clough; beyond him (at the place so 
long occupied by Challis Kimballj, was Challis Foote; across 
the brook, on the same side of the highway, Joseph Foster ; 
then the school-house on the left; and Benjamin Foster's 
on the right. Next, up a long winding hill, on the left hand, 
John Pearsons and Edmund Sawyer. About a mile down 
through the woods was Major Joseph Hoyt; then Jedediah 
Peabody; then the Henniker line. 

The town was very irregularly laid out. Several surveys 
and divisions of lots were made in different years, with little 
reference to each other or to the lines of the to'vfn. 

In 1763, the propi-ietors voted to build another saw-mill; 
and also passed a vote Avhich was doubtless acceptable to all 
industrious Avorkers, viz., that the hands who Avork upon the 
mill "shall have three shillings and four pence per day, if 
they earn it"! 

To us, looking back from the comforts of modern days, the 
life of those early settlers must ever possess a fascinating in- 
terest. They endured great hardships and privations, yet 
found much enjoyment in life. The early dwellings were 
rude and simple. In 1773, there were none but log houses. 
The first frame house was built at Bagley's Bridge, soon after 
1773, by David Bagley. Among the earliest which followed 
it, were those of Francis Davis and Reuben Kimball. The 
first two-story frame house was that of Mr. Kelly. The first 
frame barn was built by lleuben Kimball. 

Some of the firsi roads laid out in toAvn were the main 
road to Sutton, (then Perrytown,) which ran over Dana Hill 
and south of Frank Bartlett's, crossing the Tory Hill road 
about a third of a mije up ; the road to the North Village, by 
the first meeting-house and Levi Bartlett's; the one from the 
first meeting-house, by Mr. Kelly's, Elliot Colby's and Ed- 
mund Sawyer's to Henniker; the one through Joppa; the 
one through Schoodac, which crossed the river at Bagley's 
Bridge; and the Pumpkin and Burnt Hill roads. The first 



15 

bridge, — the one which Col. Warner, from whom the town 
M'as named, helped to build, — was at the Lower Village. 

For the most part, however, in the early days, the paths 
were through the forest, marked by spotted trees. An old 
lady now living at the age of 93, remembers when it Avas one 
dense forest all the way from Waterloo to this village. Com- 
ing down through the forest path, the smoke of one solitary 
log-hut could be seen. It stood near where Dr. Leonard 
Eaton's house now stands, or a little farther back, and was oc- 
cupied by Cole Tucker. There was not another habitation of 
anv kind in what is now the Centre Village. 

Men carried heavy loads on their shoulders through the 
forest paths. Philip Flanders brought two bushels of pota- 
toes on his back from Concord, accompanied by Walker, 
who brought a bushel and a half in the same Avay. Stephen 
Edmunds brought a bushel of corn on his shoulders from 
Concord to his house on Tory Hill, where his descendent of 
the same name nOw lives. Captain Daniel Floyd used to 
carry two bushels of corn on his shoulders to Concord to be 
ground, and bring it back in the same way. He used to say 
that when he got tired, he took a pole from the fence and 
carried it awhile on his shoulders in addition to the load ; 
then when he threw that off, the bags would seem light! 
Afterwards the settlers went to Davisville to have their 
"grist" ground, carrying it in the same way. Bradshaw 
Ordway used to take it not only for himself, but for his neigh- 
bors. Jacob Collins, ancestor of some of the same name 
"over the Minks," carried the boards of which to build his 
rye-bins oh his shoulders from Squire Bean's saw-mill in 
Waterloo, through the woods and over the hills to the edge 
of Bradford, because no team could go by the wood-path. 
By the same means of conveyance, he next year brought 
from Waterloo the bricks of which to build an oven in his 
house. 



1() 

The women sometimes hoed the corn near the djvellings. 
while their husbands were cutting down trees and clearing 
the ground to make a place for the next year's planting. 

Watches and clocks were few. AVhen Edmund Sawyer 
built a large house on the hill in the S. K. Hoyt District, to 
replace his small one, lie Avas so particular that it should 
stand square, that a compass was set to square it by, so that 
the sun might shine in at the front door Avhen it Avas noon. 
They liad no clock, but they had a nine o'clock mark, a one 
o'clock mark, and others. 

The early settlers had plain and simple fare. Bean por- 
ridge, Indian corn, rye, pumpkins, turnips, fish and game,, 
were the most common articles of food. Sometimes, in the 
scarcity of provisions, they used boiled beach-leaves. Yet 
a hardy race grew up, notwithstanding. 

The principal recreation was social visiting. The testi- 
mony of all the old people is uniform as to the sympathy 
and kindly feeling Avhich prevailed among the early settlers. 
May all the remnants of prejudice and social alienation Avhich 
haA^e since groAvn up be forever dissipated, and the people 
be one in friendliness, and one in effort for the public good. 

Money Avas scarce. Its comparatiA-e value, as estimated 
by Avhat it Avould purchase, may be judged by a fcAv facts 
gleaned from the toAvn records and other sources. It should 
be premised that the "pound" spoken of in the early history 
of the toAvn Avas in the "ncAV tenor'' currency, Avhich Avas six 
shillings to a dollar. A pound, therefore, Avas equal to $o.O''], 
and a shilling to K)^ cents. One of the stipulations made 
NoA-ember 4, 1771, in regard to ]Mr. Kelly's salary, Avas to 
give him one hundred dollars in labor, at two shillings and 
six pence (41 1 cents) per day, or if dinners Avere founfl, then 
fwo shillings (33^ cents) p(>r dav. March 20, 1785, AA'ork 
on the highways Avas reckoned at three shillings per day, 
March 22, 1791, the toAvn voted to reckon Avork on the high- 
Avavs as folloAvs : From the first of June to the last of Au- 



17 

gust, three shillings (50 ccntsj per day ; from the last of Au- 
gust to the last of September, two shillings and sixpence (41^ 
centsj per day; from the last of September to the first of 
November two shillings (.33^centsj per day; from that to the 
first of April, one shilling and six penoe (2o centsj per dav; 
and from then to the first of June, two shillings and six 
pence per day. December 28, 1797, the town voted to 
allow men for work in building bridges, two shillings pei- 
day to the las-t day of March, and after that three shillings- 
per day until the bridges are finished. February 8, 1798^ 
minute-men having been enlisted by the town, it was voted 
to make up to them ten dollars per month, while in actual 
service, including what they are allowed by Congress. A 
bounty of two dollars was also voted; which, in these days, 
would not be considered a very tempting offer. 

As to the value of land, in 1784, several lots, varying in 
size, from forty to eighty acres, were sold at public vendue 
for non-payment of taxes, for which prices were paid, varvin"- 
from six pence to one shilling per acre, with taxes and costs. 
At a similar sale in 1797, prices paid per acre for different 
lots were five cents, seventeen cents, thirty one, forty one 
and sixty cents, and a dollar and fifty-four cents. Of twenty lots^ 
sold in the same way in January and February, 1812, the 
average price per acre was about twenty cents. 

In 1782, the furnishing of the twenty cords of wood whicli 
wejj^ part of Mr. Kelly's salary, was struck off to the low- 
est bidder, ten cords to Esq. Joseph Sawyer, at four shillings 
and six pence, that is, 75 cents per cord; five to Francis 
Ferrin, at four shillings and five pence ; and five to the same 
at five shillings, or 83^ cents. In 1798, a Pound was built 
on Deacon Nehemiah Heath's land, which was to be thirty 
feet square and seven feet high, of green white pine logs 
with the bark taken off, with a white oak door and a lock. 
The building of this Pound and providing all the materials^ 
was struck off to Tappan Evans for $10.50. At tlie end of 



1« 

the last century a girl's wages were two shillings (33^ cents) 
a week, and the commonest quality of calico was four shil- 
lings a yard. In the year 1778, wheat was rated in Con- 
cord at seven shillings per bushel, Indian corn at four shil- 
lings, potatoes at one shilling, cheese at six pence per pound, 
and stall-fed beef at four pence. 

From these various facts we can sufficiently estimate the 
value of money then as compared with the present time. 
Probably it is a moderate estimate, to say that one dollar 
then would buy more of the necessities and comforts of life 
than five dollars now. The scarcity of money is illustrated 
by the experience of Benjamin Badger, M'ho afterwards be- 
came a resident of Warner. He first came here from Ames- 
bury, Mass., about 1790, and was willing to work for twenty- 
five cents a day, but there was so little money in town that no 
one would hire him even at that. With good courage, and 
some bread and cheese for food, he started on foot for Ames- 
bury, having only two coppers in his pocket, of which he 
spent one for ferriage over a river, and reached his destina- 
tion with the other. 

There were almost no books in most of the houses, except 
the Spelling-Book and Bible, and perhaps Watts' Hymns. 
The more intelligent settlers added to these a quaintly illus- 
trated copy of Pilgrim's Progress, "The Bank of Faith," 
and a few other books. 

They enjoyed, however, the educating influence which 
comes to every American citizen through his participation in 
public affairs. That they considered it the duty of every citi- 
zen thus to participate, appears from an odd entry in the 
town records, under date of June 14, 1774, which reads as 
lolloAvs : '' This day Stephen Edmunds appeared at town 
meeting, and acknowledged it to be the first time that ever 
he appeared at a town meeting in this town." 

Representatives to the General Assembly of New Hampshire 
were at that time required to possess real estate to the value 



19 ' 

of two hundred pounds lawful money. The first election, 
apparently, for representative, was held November 19, 1776. 
Capt. Francis Davis was then chosen; in 1777, Mr. Daniel 
Morrill; and in 1778, Capt. Daniel Floyd. The General 
Assembly met in those days at Exeter. 

In the war of the revolution, the inhabitants of Warner 
manifested a patriotism not inferior to other towns. In this 
connection, the records of the Committee of Safety, pub- 
lished December, 1775, furnish some interesting facts as to 
the population. By the census of 1775, Warner had, of' 
white males, 78 under 1(5, 45 "between the ages of 10 and 
50 not in the army, and () above 50; 126 females; and 1 
negro. Total, 262. The tov/n reported 21 fire-arms fit for 
service, and 26 instances in which fire-arms were wanting. 
In 1775, previously to the organization of an army by Con- 
gress, seven men from Warner took up arms in the cause of 
their country; in 1776, eight enlisted, and others in subse- 
quent years. Thirty men from this town belonged to a vol- 
unteer res^iment durinsr the war of 1813; and about one 
hundred served in the national army during the late war of 
the rebellion, of whom, not far from twenty-five gave up 
their lives for the unity and freedom of our country. 

These brief notices of the early history of the town, the 
habits of the people, and the events which varied their lives, 
prepare us better to understand their religious history, which 
forms the chief subject of this discourse. 

The first meeting-house was probably built in 1766. The 
earliest mention of it in the proprietors' records is under 
date of November 10, 1766, when they voted to raise six- 
teen shillings on each right for other purposes, and "for 
building the meeting-house." It stood near the upper edge 
of the old burying-ground, on the highest land within 
the enclosure. It was a poorly constructed log house. 
From what is known of early log meeting-houses in other 
towns, we may presume that it had no windows, but 



20 

only large holes in the upper part, which admitted light and 
air. Yet here probably all the population of the town gath- 
ered many times for public worship, and among them, we 
may be sure, some praying souls, truly desiring to be fed 
with the word of life. This house was accidentally burned 
in or before the year 1769. 

June t28th, 1769, the proprietors voted to build another 
meeting-house in the town ; and March 20th, 1770, voted 
" to raise sixty dollars to build the meeting-house." This 
second house was erected in 1770, on the site of the old one. 
It was a frame building, about thirty by twenty-four feet in 
size, one story high, without a steeple ; boarded and covered 
with long shingles. Very likely it was built, as the early 
bridges were in some towns, by a general turn-out of the 
inhabitants, laboring under the direction of the best work- 
men. The seats at first were rough board benches. But 
little finishing was done till the pew-ground was sold, Sep- 
tember 2-1, 1772, when the avails of the sale were applied 
for that purpose. At the time just mentioned, it was voted 
"that there should be six pews at ye fore side of ye meeting 
house, and four at the back side of the house, and two long 
pews, one at each end of said house." At the same time and 
place the pews were sold at public vendue — Mr. Daniel 
Floyd being vendue-master — as follows : Pew No. 1 was 
struck off to Francis Davis, at nineteen shillings ($3. 16i5) ; 
No. 2 to Abner Chase, at twenty shillings ; No. 3 to Deacon 
Nehemiah Heath, at seventeen shillings; the long pew at 
the east end of the house. No. 4, to Zebulon Davis, at four- 
teen shillings; No. 5 to Joseph Currier, at eighteen shillings; 
No. 6 to Scth Goodwin, at twenty-three shillings; No. 8 to 
Isaac Waldron, Jr., at twenty-one shillings and six pence ; 
the long pew at the west end of the house. No. 9, to Thomas 
Annis, at fourteen shillings; No. 10 to Daniel Flanders, at 
fifteen shillings; No. 11 to Richard Goodwin, at twenty-one 
shillings and six pence; No. 12 to Deacou Parmenas Watsou, 



21 

at twenty-two shillings. These persons purchased the pew- 
ground, on which, according to the custom of the times, each 
man built his own pew. A part of the house was provided, 
with benches for those who did not build pews. At this- 
time, and for many years afterwards, all the people went to 
meeting. An old lady, now 80 years old, remembers how, 
a few years later, one of their neighbors used to yoke his 
oxen to a sled, put boards on, cover with hay, and fasten 
chains about, then set chairs in, put in quilts, and having 
made all comfortable, take a load. Half the effort made 
noM- would bring all the people regularly to the public wor- 
ship of God. 

The population of the town increased rapidly, and the 
second meeting-house soon became inadequate for either its 
civil or religious purposes. In 1786, the question of build- 
ing a new house was discussed in town meeting, and deferred. 
A controversy arose as to the location of the new house, 
which lasted three years and caused much unhappy feeling. 
Some, generally the families of the first settlers, wished it to 
stand on the site of the old one, south of the river; others 
at the geographical centre of the town ; and yet others north 
of the river, on the plain in the LoM-er Village, above Ensign 
Joseph Currier's. The toAvn tried various expedients to 
settle the question. August 30th, 1787, they chose a com- 
mittee of three from Hopkinton, Salisbury and Henniker to 
locate the house, and agreed to abide bv their decision. In 
1788, they petitioned the General Court to appoint a com- 
mittee to locate. This committee selected the location of the 
old house, but their decision was not accepted. At last, April 1 
25th, 1789, it was voted to build betAveen Ensign Josephs 
Currier's and Mr. Isaac Chase's, on the north side of the ■ 
road, under the ledge, at the south-west end of what is now 
the Lower Village. \Mien the frame Avas raised, according to' 
a custom of the times, which allowed the first man who 
climbed to the ridge-pole to name tke building. Ensign 



A(iuil:i Davis, son of Francis, climbed to the top Avith a jug 
of some kind of spirit attached to a cord, swung the jug, 
broke it, and appropriately named the house "The Struggle 
Under the Ledge." 

The evil results of this division lasted for some time, as is 
shown by the vote which was at first passed not to meet in 
the new house, the refusal to fully complete it, and even the 
effort on the part of some to get a vote to move it over 
to the south side of the river. We can at least give them 
credit for jK/scrcrance, which is a great virtue when right- 
ly directed. However, August oOth, 1790, it was voted 
"That jNlr. Kelly should preach in the new meeting-house 
for the future, and the inhabitants meet there for public wor- 
ship." In INIarch, of the next year, a vote Avas jiassed to 
'take down the old meeting-house and appropriate the stuff 
towards fencing the burying-ground. 

The size of the new house was about fifty by sixty feet. 
It M'as like a great barn, open up to the ridge-pole, and, for a 
long time, not even clap-boarded. Swallows built their nests 
under the eaves, and used to fly about during the services. 
The house was never plastered, except a space back of the 
pulpit. Galleries ran around on three sides. In front was 
a porch, with doors opening east, south and M-est. The pul- 
]nt was of the plainest style. As in the former house, pew- 
ground was sold, and each person built his own pew. Tlu^ 
pews were square, with seats which turned up. ^^'hen the 
congregation rose, the seats were all turned up; when they 
sat down, the whole were let down with a tremendous clat- 
ter. On the part unoccupied by pews M-ere benches, with 
one rail for the back; (as luxurious, perhaps, as those of our 
present town-house ! ) At first the gallery pew-ground was not 
sold; ill 1799, it was voted te sell it, and lay out the pro- 
ceeds in the repair of the house. In 1808, two hundred 
dollars were laid out in the improvment of the house, but it 
always remained in a very unfinished condition, and was 
finallv taken down in the vear 1855 or 185G. 



23 

As everywhere in old times, the house vras not warnied, 
and the people suffered fearfully from cold. The women all 
carried foot-stoves. Joseph Currier, Deacon Heath, Tappan 
Evans, and others who lived near, opened their houses for 
the people to go in and warm themselves, and their houses 
were full. 

The discomfort of the old house, the difficulty of inducinif 
the town to spend anything for its improvement, and the 
fact that other denominations had the use of it part of the 
time, had long been convincing many of the people that 
they ought to own a meeting-house independently of the 
town. As the result, the fourth meeting-house — the one 
in which we are assembled to-day — was erected in 1819, by 
twenty-nine individuals of the Congregational Society. It 
cost $2300. The corner-stone was laid June 9, 1819, and it 
was dedicated October 20 of the same year; the pastor 
j)reaching a sermon from Psalm xxvi, 8 : '•' Lord, I have 
loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine 
honor dwelleth." It first stood a little west of the Lower 
Village; was removed to its present location in 1845; mod- 
ernized, and the galleries removed, in 1856; and enlarged 
and improved in 18G8. In 1858, the vestry was finished off 
underneath, and in 1870, the ladies' room. In 1866, a bell 
was for the first time hung in the steeple. In 1867, the cab- 
inet organ now in use was purchased. For these various 
improvements, the Church and congregation are largely in- 
debted to the generosity of some of their own members, and 
also to friends elsewhere, who have not lost interest in their 
early home. 

We turn back now to trace the origin and history of 
the Church itself The earliest ministers who are known to 
have preached in Warner are Timothy Walker and Xehe- 
miah Ordway, Jr. The proprietors' records <}ontain mention 
of sums paid them for their services in preaching in 1769, 
and to Mr. Ordway in 1771. In 1771, Mr. Morrill of Ep- 



OJ- 

ping preached several Sabbaths ; and probably a little later, 
Mr. Farrington. Before the settlement of Mr. Kelly, the 
proprietors paid considerable sums for the maintenance of 
preaching in the town, a fact which speaks well (as all which 
we know of them does,) of their care for the moral and 
religious improvement of the people. It is also a significant 
fact, which speaks for itself, that here, as in many other New 
England towns, provision was made in the same connection 
to lay out lots for the first ordained minister, for parsonage 
land, and for the use of schools. Religion and education 
were connected in their minds, as they always should be. 

Of the ministers above named, we have some information. 
Timothy Walker was a son of Rev. Timothy Walker, the 
first minister of Concord. He graduated at Harvard Col- 
lege in 175G, and was licensed to preach in 1759. He 
preached more or less at Canterbury, Rindge, and probably 
other places, but was never settled. He afterwards went 
into civil life, was a member of the Council, and Chief Jus- 
tice of the Court of Common Pleas. 

Nehemiah Ordway, Jr. was the son of Nehemiah Ordway 
of Amesbury, a leading physician, one of the proprietors, 
and for many years their clerk. The son graduated at Har- 
vard in 1764, and was settled in 1778 at Middleton, N. H., 
where he remained only a few years. 

Of Mr. Morrill nothing is certainly known. Perhaps ho 
'was Mr. Robie Morrill, a native of Salisbury, Mass., who 
Avas pastor of the Church in Boscawen from 1761 to 1766. 

Mr. Farrington probably preached one year at Westmore- 
land, N. H., about 1770, but nothing more can be stated of 
him. 

The first entry upon the town records of A\ auier, or New 
Amesbury, dated December 27, 1770, is an agreement signed 
by forty-five settlers to pay their rateable proportion for the 
settlement and support of a gospel minister, on condition 
that the proprietors should pay the sums they had agreed 



25 

upon toward this purpose, viz: $90.00 for the year next en- 
suing, $60.00 a year for the next four years, and $30.00 for 
the year after that ; and on condition, also, that Isaac Wal- 
dron, Isaac Chase and Joseph Sawyer, a committee appoint- 
ed by the inhabitants of the town, "will use their best en- 
deavors that an able and learned Minister of the Gospel, ap- 
proved by the Pastors of the neighboring Churches, may be 
settled and ordained in said New Amesbury." It was also 
provided that the above agreement should be of no force 
unless subscribed by nine-tenths of the present inhabitants 
of the town ; from which it may be inferred that there were 
then not much, if any, over forty-five families. 

February 14, 1771, the first town meeting recorded was 
held. Mr. Joseph Sawyer was moderator. It was then 
voted "that the Committee should send for Mr. William 
Kelly to preach here three Sabbaths," and that Mr. Joseph 
Sawyer should board the minister. Mr. Kelly appears to 
have preached here constantly during 1771. September 26, 
1771, it is voted that Mr. Kelly appoint a Fast in Warner, 
and " that Isaac Waldron, Sr., should go to the neighboring 
ministers to see if they would attend said Fast." Those 
neighboring ministers must have been at Hopkinton, where 
a church had been organized fourteen years before; at Bos- 
cawen, where there had been a church for thirty years ; at 
Henniker, where Avas an infant church only two years old ; 
and perhaps at Salisbury, though the church there was not 
formed till 1773. The more distant churches of Concord 
and Pembroke may also have been invited. 

November 14, 1771, the town gave Mr. Kelly a call to 
settle with them in the ministry. The pecuniary conditions 
of the call were to give him forty poutids lawful money for 
the first year, and to rise one pound ten shillings yearly for 
thirteen years and four months, till it amoimts to sixty 
pounds a year, or about two hundred dollars. Also, to give 
him, yearly, twenty cords of wood, which should be cut and 



26 

hauled to his door. As a settlement, he had the lots of 
land which we have seen were assigned to the first minister 
by the conditions of the grant of the town. These amounted 
to one hundred and sixty acres; which, his son, the late 
Squire Abner B, Kelly, has informed me, could not have 
been sold at that time for half as many dollars. He also 
had the income of the parsonage lot during his ministry. 
The town voted, at the time of the call, to give Mr. Kelly 
(I suppose as part of his settlement,) one hundred dollars in 
labor, at two shillings and sixpence (-tl^- cents) per day; 
and to cut down the trees and clear up three acres of land a 
year for him for three years following, so as to make nine acres 
in all. The late Squire Kelly informed mc that more than half 
his father's salary was paid in produce or labor, and a con- 
siderable part of the remainder was given by him in orders 
on the town collector to cancel the taxes of those Avho were 
unable to pay. Frequent votes were j>assed by the town, ex- 
empting certain persons from paying their minister-rates for 
one or more years. After a few years the town became very re- 
miss in paying Mr. Kelly's salary, and performing their other 
agreements to him, and much ill feeling grew up upon the 
subject. Many persons, from conviction, or for the sake of 
exemption from taxation, joined other denominations. At 
the desire of many persons, Mr. Kelly finally, June 9, 1793, 
relinquished }iis contract with the town, on condition of the 
payment of a certain sum (£160) for arrearages. The town, 
to raise this money, committed the illegal act of selling part 
of the parsonage right of land, which, by the conditions of 
the grant of the town^was to be reserved forever toward the 
support of the ministry. Part of the inhabitants recorded 
their protest against this sale. The rest of the parsonage 
right was sfcd, however, at subsequent times. Mr. Kelly 
allowed the town from 1793 to try the voluntary principle, 
but the amount he received in a year did not exceed $60, 
and that chiefly from those who were willing to be taxed. 



27 

He at length, in 1800, brought a suit against the town, and 
collected part of the arrearages. It is needless to say that 
the enemies' of religion raised a clamor against this, and 
used it to the detriment of the religious interests of the 
town. This is enough respecting this painful portion of our 
religious history. Let us look back at it with nothing now 
of the evil spirit of prejudice or bitterness, but simply with 
the desire to learn from it what we may. In regard to it, it 
is enough to say that while there was undoubtedly great need 
of a more just and liberal spirit in the town, the trouble 
grew principally out of the false system. Xo man should 
be taxed for religious purposes except by his own free con- 
sent, and in accordance with his own convictions of duty to 
God. But to hold the opposite error Avas no peculiarity of 
the fathers of N«w England. It was an error of the times,- 
and was abandoned here sooner than in almost any other 
part of the christian world. 

Let us return, now to the more pleasant task of tracing the 
origin and growth of the Church. Mr. Kelly accepted the 
call of the town, and the fifth day of February, 1772, was 
appointed for his ordination, and the formation of a Church. 
The following churches were invited to send their pastors 
and delegates for this pui'pose, viz- : those of Concord, Pem-- 
broke, Henniker, Salem, Hampstead and Plaistow. Says 
the recard : "On Wednesday, the fifth of February, 1772, 
the pastors of the churches sent to, with their delegates, met 
at the house of Isaac Waldron, Jr., where they formed into 
a Council — Rev. Timothy Walker of Concord moderator. 
Then proceeded to gather a Church, which entered into the 
following Covenant with God and one another: — 

" We, the subscribers, as we think, called by the pi-ovidence 
of God to imbody ourselves into a distinct christian society- 
for our mutual edification, do now, in the presence of God, 
and with a humble sense of our unworthiness of so great a 
favor, take Him. for our God ; and by His heV\), engage our- 



28 

selves wholly to Him, to love His name and to be His ser- 
vants; and being convinced of the insufficiency of the light 
of nature to direct in the true way to serve God, and that of 
His goodness He has been pleased to grant us a revelation of 
His will in the Sacred Sci-iptures of the Old and New Tes- 
tament, we noAv declare our firm belief that these sacred 
writings contain the great articles of our faith and rules of 
our practice; and Ave engage that we will carefully study 
them and adhere to them in all things. 

"Believing the fall of our first parents, and the wretched 
state of weakness, sin and guilt into which we are fallen, and 
adoring the grace of God in the provision which He has made 
by His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, for our recovery, we 
resolve, by the grace of God, always to approach unto the 
Father in His name, as the way by Avhich all good things 
descend unto us, waiting upon Him for His holy spirit to 
direct and assist us, comfort and support us in this state of 
trial. 

"Believing a future state of rewards and punishments to 
be dealt out to men in the other world, we resolve so to 
walk by faith, and according to the direction of God's Word, 
as that through Jesus Christ we may inherit that eternal life 
which is brought to light by the Gospel. 

" We likewise give up our offspring with ourselves, ador- 
ing the grace of God that He Avill be a God in covenant 
with us and with our seed. And in all these things we do 
solemnly engage to walk in all God's ordinances, and to wait 
upon Him in the sure ways of His appointment for a blessing. 

" We also engage ourselves to one another for mutual love 
and edification. We promise to submit ourselves to such as 
God shall set over us from time to time in the pastoral rela- 
tion, to preside in our religious assemblies, to instruct us out 
of the Holy Scriptiu-es, to be our mouth to God in prayer, 
to reprove our faults, and to be helpers of our faith and joy. 
We likewise promise to watch over each other; if a brother 



29 

tall through weakness, we engage to be tender toward him, 
considering ourselves also as being liable to be tempted, and be 
cheerfully ready to forgive him on the first suitable tokens of 
repentance. 

" But if a brother is obstinately impenitent, we engage to 
reject him, and not suffer him to join with us in the holy 
communion, but keep the church pure, and note that per- 
son that he may be ashamed. 

"jAnd we also promise to admit to our communion such 
as shall desire to join themselves with us (not belonging to 
other pastors' charges) if in a judgment of charity they may 
be thought qualified; therefore not to impose any other 
terms of christian communion than of our Saviour and His 
apostles, a visible christian profession accompanied with a 
blameless and well-ordered life ; and also that we will hold 
communion with all other regular churches of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, maintaining charity and hearty good will to all that 
love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, endeavoring to 
keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, prapng 
always for the peace of Jerusalem, since they prosper that 
love her. 

'■Finally, we promise with all humility and meekness, 
Avaiting on the Great Head of vital influences for guidance 
and assistance, to make it our care to adorn the doctrine of 
God our Saviour in all things by well ordered lives and con- 
versation, and that wherein we shall fall short, Ave aa'IU re- 
neAv. ourselves by repentance, and betake ourseh-es to God 
for pardoning mercy through the blood of the Redeemer. 

"And that we may keep this coA'enant inviolable fore\'er, avc 
heartily implore the help of Christ, that His grace may be 
sufficient for us, and that Ave may be led in the path of 
righteousness ; that Avhen the Great Shepherd and Bishop of 
Souls shall appear. He may receive us into His heaA'enly 
kingdom." 



30 

This Covenant was signed and assented to by William 
Kelly, Joseph Sawyer, Richard Goodwin, Nehemiah Heath, 
Francis Davis, Abner Chase, Moses Clark and Parmenas 
Watson. The story has come down, that when the Council 
was convened, it was rumored they would not proceed, be- 
cause there was not a sufficient number of persons giving 
evidence of piety to form a Church; and that Isaac Wal- 
dron (who certainly had zeal, if not other qualifications) sent 
word to the Council that rather than they should fail for 
members, he would take hold and join the Church himself, 
though he should prefer to be excused. 

After the Covenant, the church record continues, "The 
Council then proceeded to the Meeting House, where the 
solemnity was performed as followeth : The Rev. Moderator 
opened the meeting, the Rev. Jacob Emery of Pembroke 
made the first prayer; the Rev. Henry True of Hampstead 
preached a sermon from 2nd of Timothy, od Chapt. 17th verse : 
' That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished 
unto all good works;' the Rev. Abner Bayley of Salem gave 
the charge; the Rev. Giles Merrill of Plaistow gave the fel- 
lowship; and the Rev. Jacob Rice of Henniker concluded 
with prayer." 

Thus the little Church Avas organized in the wilderness. 
Though the names of males only are given as at first signing 
the Covenant, yet the wives of nearly all these first signers 
probably united at the same time. Nehemiah Heath, Joseph 
Sawyer, and Richard Goodwin, Avith their wives, joined this 
Church by letter of dismission from the Church in Hamp- 
stead, Avhich Avas probably one reason Avhy that Church Avas 
iuA'ited to sit on the Council. 

Rev. William Kelly Avas born at Newbury, Mass., Octo- 
ber 31, 1744. He Avas the son of John Kelly, Avho after- 
wards removed to Atkinson, N. H., Avherc he died in 1783, 
aged eighty-four. The son graduated at Harvard College in 
1767, and studied divinity Avith Rev. Henry True of Hamp- 



« 1 

stead. He nianicd, February 14, 1TT3, Lavinia Bayley, 
daughter of Rev. Abner Bayley of Salem, N. H. He was 
dismissed from his pastorate in Warner March 11, 1801, but 
continued for several years to preach more or less in the 
town. He resided here until his death, Avhich was occasion- 
ed by a fit of apoplexy, May 18, 1813, in the sixty-ninth 
year of his age. Great interest gathers in our minds around 
Mr. Kelly, as the first minister. He was of small statiu'e, 
and of a pleasant countenance. In disposition he was very 
kindly and genial, inclined to the lenient view of men and 
things. His sermons and prayers were short, as compared 
with the average of the times. In theology he was of the 
class who, at that day, were called moderate Calvinists. He 
was a man of prayer. One of his sons (who was with us 
until a few months since, and who we had hoped would be 
spared to link this anniversary more closely Avith ITTJi,) has 
spoken of the impression which used to be produced on him 
by his father's often retiring to a private room of their house 
for prayer. When he came out his face seemed to shine like 
that of Moses. 

March 17, 1772, the Chiu'ch met lor further organization. 
On that day, in the language of the records, '•' after the 
meeting was opened by solemn prayer to God for direction, 
Parmenas Watson aijd Nehemiah Heath were chosen Dea- 
cons." These two men served the Church in this office — 
Deacon Watson for fifty-eight years, Deacon Heath for 
forty-eight ; though during the latter part of their lives 
younger men were appointed to aid them. How much of 
responsibility and care they bore for the Church ! We be- 
lieve that in regard to them the Master said, "Well done, 
good and fiiithful servants." Both Deacon Watson and 
Deacon Heath M-eve at times Selectmen, and filled other town 
offices. In the early days, a Deacons' seat was always pro- 
vided in the churches, directly in front of the pulpit, facing 
the people. There the Deacons sat, though their families 



5?^ 



occupied pe^vs with the rest of the congregation. This cus- 
tom was given up in Warner when the present church was 
built. 

Another well-known character of the early times was 
the tithing-man. Two tithing-men were annually appointed by 
the town, and their duties Avere to keep order in and around 
the church, and to prevent persons from breaking the Sab- 
bath by traveling, or in other ways. The boys usually well 
knew the tithing-man's seat in the meeting-house! 

As to church music, in the very earliest times, probably 
not even the singers had books containing the tunes, but 
only a few hymn-books. Yet from them they sang many of 
the same words of praise which we sing to-day — ^those dear old 
hymns which abide from generation to generation. At the 
communion service, the Deacons read two lines of a hymn, 
which were sung, then the other two lines, and so on. Af- 
ter music-books were introduced, the first which the oldest 
living inhabitants of the town remember was the "Christian 
Harmony." No better title has since been devised. In ^[r. ^^ 
Kelly's day, two of those who for a time led the singingjM 
were Enoch Morrill and Jacob Osgood. There were but 
five or six singers. Among them were Miriam Stevens, 
(wife of James Osgood,) Rachel Floyd, (Avife of Enoch Os- 
good,) and the wife of John Hardy of Tory Hill. At first 
there Avere no musical instruments. At a church-meeting, 
probably near the beginning of 1800, though not dated, it Avas 
* voted "to admit the Bass Viol in Publick Worship." The 
town coincided, by voting, March 4, 1800, "that the singers 
should be admitted to use Bass Viols and any other sacred 
instruments on the Sabbath in the meeting-house for the fu- 
ture." Later the violin Avas introduced, though not AA-ithout 
some opposition at first. Deacon David Heath first played 
the bass viol, afterwards Deacon Barrett, John Ela, Deacon 
Wheeler, and others. 



33 • 

During the last century, though th^re were Pulpit Bibles, 
the Scriptures were not generally read in the churches. 
When they were first read here appears by a vote passed by 
the Church May 4, 1815, "That the Holy Scriptures be 
read on the Sabbath ; it being left discretionary with the Pas- 
tor whether or no to read Scott's Notes and Observations." 

Marriages were cried by the town clerk at the close of the 
Sabbath meeting — a custom which could not have been 
most agreeable to the parties, however much it gratified cu- 
riosity. One of the oldest of our living citizens acknowl- 
edges that on the day when his fate was to be thus an- 
nounced, he went over to Salisbury and attended church. 
In these days, it is to be feared that people thus circumstanced 
would stay away without seeking some other place of wor- 
ship. But then every one attended church. 

The customs of the times favored courtesy and reverence. 
When the service was finished, ]Mr. Kelly came down out of 
the pulpit and passed down the middle aisle, bowing right 
and left to everybody. The congregation all waited till he 
had passed out. During prayer, the people stood, though 
occasionally a minister preached whose prayers were so long 
that they sat down and got up three and four times for 
weariness. Rev. Ethan Smith of Hopkinton sometimes 
prayed an hour by the watch. 

A fraternal spirit prevailed in the church. While offences 
against christian morality and violations of the church cov- 
enant were disciplined, great care and tenderness seem to 
have been exercised in this matter. 

During the ministry of Mr. Kelly, persons were admitted 
to what was called the " Half- Way Covenant." By this was 
meant that persons of upright life and correct sentiments 
might be baptized themselves, and receive baptism for their 
children, without examination as to a change of heart and per- 
sonal faith in the Redeemer. Those -who availed themselves 
of this permission were said to "own the Covenant." They 



34 

were •110^ considered members gI" the Church, nor admitted to 
the Lord's Supper. It appears, however, from the Diary of 
Rev. Mr. Walker, first minister of Concord, under date of 
.June 3 and July ;1, 1764, that in that Church persons were 
jiropoundcd to own the Covenant after the same manner as 
when they Avere to unite with the Church. But the promise 
which they made was to seek after further evidences of 
christian character. The "Half- Way Covenant" was in 
general use among the early New England- churches. It 
was not scriptural, nor according to the example of Christ 
and his apostles. Yet it may have operated with many as 
it did Avith one who afterwards became a valuable member 
,of this Church, who said that he thought oAvning the Cov- 
enant did him good, and that it was a restraint upon him to 
remember he had given up his children in baptism. Infant 
■baptism Avas in those days sacredly honored by the Church. 

Mr. Kelly was dismissed March 11, 1801, by a Council 
composed of the pastors and delegates of the churches in 
■Canterbury, Concord and Pembroke. The Church chose 
him as their moderator, and he continued to fill that office 
until his death. It is very pleasant to add that Ave find 
proof of their continued affection for him in the vote 
they passed after his death, in Avhich, as if he Avere still their 
pastor, the}^ thank Ilcv. Moses Sawyer. Rev. ]Mr. Smith 
and Kev. Mr. Bliss for their kind offices in attending his 
funeral, and especially jNIr. Sawyer, for his " able and Avell 
adapted discourse delivered on the o'ccasion." 

After the dismission of Mr. Kelly, the Church #erc for 
rt'hirteen years Avithout a pastor. Those Avere years of trial. 
The Church, however, secured preaching a good deal of the 
time. When they could not have it constantly, they made 
an effort for it on Communion Sabbaths. A Mr. Davis, an 
Englishman, from Albany, preached for a time. A revival 
foUoAved his labors and quite a number united Avith the 
vQhurch. Rey. William Harlow preached here for several 



35 

years. The Church, January 7, 1809, gave him a call to 
settle, but the town refused to concur. Mr. Harlow after- 
wards preached for three years at Auburn, in this State. A 
Mr. Rolfe preached for a time, and the Church, Dec. 23, 
1810, invited him to settle, but he either declined, or the town 
refused to concur. During tliese years, the town raised very 
little for the support of preaching. The only sum voted for 
this purpose was $150 in 1805, of which sum each society 
was to have its proportion. Those who loved the Church 
were fast learning that its support must depend upon them- 
selves, not upon those who were indifferent or hostile to it. 

As early as April, 1802, the Church voted to attempt to 
form a Congregational Society, and chose a committee of 
five for the purpose. The object was not accomplished, 
however, until ten years later. December 5, 1812, the Con- 
gregational Society was incorporated, and, with modifications 
of its constitution, it has continued to the present time. Among 
its early members were many who were not connected with 
the Church, but who felt that the maintenance of religious 
institutions was an object in which every moral, intelligent, 
patriotic citizen should take an interest. So ought it always 
to be. The Society, from that time on, has had the charge 
of the support of the ministry, for though the town voted, 
October 8, 1813, to join with the Church in giving Mr. 
Woods a call, they never raised any money for salary. Fi- 
nally, in 1819, the Legislature passed a law abolishing the 
ancient mode of settling ministers by towns ; or in other 
words, the connection of Church and State. Henceforward 
the history of the Church is connected witli the town only 
as it should be, by the moral benefit it has conferred upon it. 

God was preparing good for the Church. In the 
middle of 1813, a young man named John Woods, just 
licensed to preach, was employed a few Sabbaths. The 
people became interested in him, and on September 21st, 
1813, the Church gave him a call to become their pastor, in 



36 

which the town soon after concurred. He was offered by a 
Church in ^lassachusetts nearly double the salary which this 
Church could pay, but he had become interested in this 
people, and felt that his duty was here, and therefore ac- 
cepted their call. He was ordained June 22d, 1814. As 
respects the general interest it aAvakened, an ordination in those 
and earlier days was like a muster. Everybody came. The 
Congregational Society voted, June 1, "to have music to es- 
cort the Council to and from the meeting-house." As usual 
on ordination days, there was abundant provision for the 
council and for all friends present. It is told, in illustration 
of the times, that, it being a year of scarcity, Levi Bartlett 
was sent to Newport to get wheat for the ordination. He 
could get none there, and went to New London, where he 
succeeded in buying it of the father of the present Governor 
Colby. He bought two bushels, at $3.50 a bushel, and 
brought it home on horseback. So valued was it that the 
people would not use a teaspoonful for anything but the or- 
dination. 

The Council Avas composed of Rev. Dr. Seth Payson of 
Rindge, Rev. Dr. »Asa McFarland of Concord, Rev. Ethan 
Smith of Hopkinton, Rev. Ebenezer Price of Boscawen, and 
Rev. Moses Sawyer of Henniker, with a delegate from each 
of these churches, and two delegates from Bradford. Dr. 
McFarland offered the introductory prayer. Dj". Payson 
preached from ii Timothy, ii. 2 : " The things that thou 
hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit 
thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." 
Mr. Smith made the ordaining prayer, INIr. Sabin gave the 
charge, Mr. Sawyer the right hand of fellowship, and ]Mr. 
Price offered the concluding prayer. 

Mr. Woods was 43orn at Fitzwilliam, N. H., in 1T85. He 
graduated at Williams College in 1812, and pursued his 
studies in preparation for the ministry with Rev. Dr. Pay- 
son of Rindge, who, at that period, liad divinity students. 



37 

He was dismissed from his pastorate in Warner Jane 17, 
1823; was pastor of the church in Newport, N. H., from 
1824 to 1851 ; and afterwards preached for a time at Fitz- 
williara, where he died May 4, 1861, aged 76. Mr. Woods 
Avas a strong man; a plain, pointed preacher, strictly Calvin- 
istic, and fearless in presenting doctrinal truth. He had a 
sound judgment, and was well adapted to the peculiarities 
of the time when he came. Says one who knew him, '•' He 
was a man who threw up the sub-soil and laid deep founda- 
tions. At the same time he looked for the work of the Holy 
Spirit. He let the Holy Spirit do the work, and he followed 
after." While to those who did not really know him he 
perhaps seemed severe in his presentations of truth, he was 
found on acquaintance to be reasonable, kindly, and M'arm- 
heartcd. 

Before Mr. AVoods' ordination, he presented to the Church 
a Confession of Faith, containing a more specific statement of 
the great doctrines of the Gospel than the Covenant they 
had previously used. This was adopted by them March 14, 
1814. A new Confession of Faith and Covenant Avere pro- 
j)osed by Mr. Wellman, and adopted July 31, 1831. These 
have continued in use until the present year, when, on the 
11th of May, another Confession of Faith and Covenant 
were adopted. These several Confessions, though different 
in expression, are all essentially the same in doctrine and 
spiri t. 

It is interestina: and instructive to read of various meas- 
ures adopted by the Church and pastor to promote religious 
growth. March 4, 1814, " the Church agreed to spend one- 
hour every Aveek (viz.: from 8 to 9 o'clock Saturday even- 
ing) in reading the devotional parts of Scripture, and in. 
special prayer for the outpouring of the Spirit and a revival 
of religion in this place.'' July 30, 1815, they voted to ob- 
serve the monthly concert of prayer for missions on the first 
Monday of every month. 



38 

July 10, 1817, the following resolutions were unanimously 
adopted by the. Church: "Whereas, it has pleased God in 
the economy of grace to make an everlasting covenant of 
mercy with the believer and his seed, and he has proposed, 
through the instrumentality of pious parents, to bestow 
spiritual blessings upon their offspring ; and whereas we are 
bound by our covenant engagements before God and his 
people 'to bring up our families i^i the nurture and admo- 
nition of the Lord,' which engagements we are sensible have 
in times past been greatly neglected ; therefore 

"Resolved, That we feel ourselves under solemn obligations, 
both as individuals and as a Church of Christ, to pay special 
attention to our baptized children ; and we hereby engage 
^that we will daily read or cause the Holy Scriptures to be 
read by or before them, will pray with and for them, and 
will catechize, warn, exhort and counsel them from time to 
time, as their age, circumstances, opportunity and duty re- 
quire. 

"Resolved, secondly, That, unless providentially prevented, 
we will meet at least twice every year to present ourselves 
and our baptized children, who are capable of receiving in- 
struction and who are under our command, before the Lord, 
unitedly to implore the blessing of our Covenant God upon 
them, to instruct them in the things of religion, and en- 
. deavor to impress their minds with a proper sense of their 
-special obligations to God on account of their special priv- 
ileges as the children of His covenant people. 

"Resolved, thirdly, That we will encourage unbaptized 
children, and we do earnestly desire that their parents and 
guardians would encourage, direct and assist them to meet 
with us, to receive religious instruction, and share Avith 
our children an interest in the prayers of the Church." 

These semi-annual meetings of the Church with their chil- 
■dren were continued for many years with great profit. The 
baptized children were regarded as standing in a very close 



39 

relation to the Church, of which some places in the records 
call them " minor members." Besides the meetings already 
named, Mr. Woods held catechetical meetings occasionally,, 
on week-day afternoons, in the district school-houses, where 
there were families of the Church. At these meetings the- 
children recited lessons which they had previously learned 
at home, under the care of their parents. The older chil- 
dren had questions to b(r answered by repeating verses of 
Scripture; those under ten recited Emerson's Catechism. 
The old people say, when asked how all this could be se- 
cured, "The children were expected to go, as much as on the 
Sabbath. Christian people made their religion the first 
thing; they laid their iilans to attend the meetings, and to 
have their children attend." One Avho was a child under 
Mr. Woods' ministry speaks of him as a children's minister, 
and of the impression produced upon her mind by his read- 
ing such hymns as, ^ 

*' Children, in ^ears and knowledge young. 
Your parents' hope, your parents' joy. 
Attend the counsels of my tongue. 
Let pious thoughts your minds emploj*."' 

The Sabbath-school connected with our church was estab^ 
lished about this time, in 1817, and has continued ever since. 
The school connected with this Church must have been one 
of the earliest in the State. The Sabbath-school system has 
proved a great blessing; but let us remember that no such 
system can supersede the necessity of the personal religious 
influence of the ixircnts and the pastor over the children. 

On January 2, 18 IT, the subject of ordaining deacons was 
discussed ; and it was voted that three neighboring ministers 
be invited to assist in the ordination of the deacons in this 
Church in April following. The deacons in our Church have 
frequently since, though not always, been set apart in this 
way. 

The Standing Committee of the Church were first appoint- 
ed November 23, 1820, after the Church had, in the Ian- 



40 

guage of the record, '-'repeatedly sought divine direction 
and blessing." 

Thursday, October 2-J^ 1821, was observed by the Church 
as a day of solemn humiliation, fasting and prayer, agreeably 
to the recommendation of the General Association. The 
pastor states that about seventy ■sverc present, and that there 
"was a pleasing union of heart. 

These various efibrts of the jAstor and people were at- 
tended by the divine blessing. A precious revival of religion 
was enjoyed ; and, especially during the years 181-4 and 181(), 
numbers Avere added to the Church. One who experienced 
religion at about this time states that he knows of hardly any 
of the converts who did not hold out. 

Mr. Woods was, as already stated, dismissed June 17, 
1823. His resignation of his pastorate was due chiefly to 
remissness in the payment of his salar3^ The society voted 
Mm, at his ordination, a settlement of $5P0 and a salary of 
$400 and twenty cords of wood annually. The salary, how- 
ever, was soon but partly paid, and the arrearage increased 
vear by year, until he felt constrained to ask a dismission. The 
trouble seems to have arisen, not from lack of regard for ^Ir. 
Woods, but from a failure on the part of a portion of the 
people to realize their personal responsibility to aid efficient- 
ly in supporting the gospel. This is proved by the fact that 
his resignation took many by surprise, and when a new sub- 
scription paper was started for his support, three times as 
many as before put their names upon it. The arrearage, 
however, remained unpaid, and for that reason he thought it 
his duty to accept a call from another people. 

From 1823 to 1827 the Church Avas without a pastor. 
Rev. Henry C. Wright preached here for probably about 
two years. 

Rev. David P. Smith, afterwards settled at Greenfield, 
supplied the pulpit for six months, and Rev. William Har- 
low for four months. 



41 

January 14, 18!^T, the pulpit was first occupied by a man 
who was destined to prove a great blessing to this Church. 
This was Rev. Jubilee '\\'ellman. He was at first engaged 
for onlv four weeks, but continued to preach a Considerable 
part of the time until September 26, when he was installed 
as pastor. The Lord led pastor and people along by his 
own manifest guidance in the matter. Mr. Wellman him- 
self states that for several months previous to his coming, 
several members of the Church felt peculiarly solicitous for 
the souls of those around them. Though destitute of stated 
preaching, besides regularly assembling upon the Sabbath for 
religous worship as a body, several, (and perhaps many) of 
the members of the Church had constantly maintained 
prayer-meetings, longing to cultivate a spirit of piety and of 
desire for the effusion of the Holy Spirit. "A few at least,'' 
to quote his language, "began to feel like Jacob of old, Avheu 
wrestling with the Augcl of the Covenant." Soon the Lord 
made it evident to them that they had not prayed in vain. 
On the 21st of January, one young l^ady M'as received to the 
Church on profession of her laith. This event at the time 
seemed to make a powerful impression upon the audience, es- 
pecially upon the young, and it was afterwards learned that 
several recei\'fed their first serious impressions from witness- 
ing it. From that time, the pious and observing could no 
longer doubt that God was in the place by the special pres- 
ence of the Holy Spirit. Evening meetings were appointed. 
At one held Feburary 5, fifteen attended as enquirers, and 
on Feburary 12, twenty-six, though in each instance the weath- 
er was very unfavorable. During the next few weeks some 
sixty or seventy at different times attended the meeting for 
religious enquiry, and most of them gave good evidence of 
becoming disciples of Christ. Twenty-eight united with 
the Church by profession in 1827. Mr. Wellman notes the 
fact that the Church was saved from loss of blessing "by the 
caution used against speaking evil of any;" making it only 



42 

their care ''faithfully to preach the gospel, and apply it to 
the heart and conscience." He says, "The means (other than 
the preaching of the word upon the Sabbath,) which seemed 
to promote the revival, were visiting from house to house, 
and addressing each individual by name, urging the necessity 
of immediate rejjentance; and meetings for special prayer. 
In various parts of the town eight or ten religous meetings 
were almost constantly held by the brethren, weekly, for 
three months." But above all, he says, "God has dimmed 
the pride of all human glory, by showing that the Avork here 
was emphatically His. Many who now rejoice in hope were 
first impressed with a sense of sin Avhile at home. One was 
deeply imjiresscd with his sinfulness while employed in 
hunting or fishing upon the Sabbath. This man lived in a 
remote part of the town, and was notorious for his impiety 
and disregard of gospel institutions. God gave the increase. 
To HIni be glory and dominion forever. Amen." 

We turn back to say a few words of the new pastor. Mr. 
Wellman was born in Greenfield, Mass., in 1793, and grad- 
uated at Bangor Theological Seminary in 1823, in the third 
class which left that institution. He was settled at French- 
port, Maine, from September, 1824, to January, 1826, then 
at Warner, and afterwards at West Westminister, Vt., from 
March, 1838, to January, 1842. In October, 1849, he was 
installed at Lowell, Vt, and died at that place March 16, 
1855, aged 62. He was thoroughly in earnest in his work, 
and a man who communed much with God. Says one who 
has known the history of the Church, " He was a man for 
the time; peculiarly fitted to build upon the foundation pre- 
viously laid." As a preacher he was faithful and acceptable. 
In social life he was a christian gentleman, generous, kind- 
hearted, and much beloved by the people. 

Mr. AVellman's installation occurred on Wednesday, Sep- 
tember 26, 1827. Rev. Dr. Samuel Wood of Boscawen 
preached the sermon ; Rev. Ebenezer Trice of Webster 



made the installing prayer; Rev. John Woods, the former 
pastor, gave the charge to the pastor; Rev. Jacob Scales of 
Henniker gave the right hand of fellowship; Rev. Dr. 
Bouton of Concord addressed the people; and Rev. Robert 
Page of Bradford offered the concluding prayer. The rec- 
ords of the society contain the following vote, dated Sep- 
tember, 20, 1827: *'That Mr. Ezra Barrett be chosen to 
lead in the music installation day, and take charge of it as 
he pleases." 

Some of the measures adopted for the spiritual welfare of 
the Church and community during Mr. Wellman's ministry 
— part of M'hich have been continued during the subsequent 
history of the Church — are worthy of note, A plan in 
which this Church cordially united is thus described in the 
Minutes of the New Hampshire General Association for 
1833 : "The churches in Hopkinton Association have 
adopted a course of mutual visitation which promises much 
in promoting the prosperity of the churches in that body. 
The plan is simply this : By invitation, two sister churches 
send a delegation of five members each to another church, 
to visit all her members on a certain day, for the purpose of 
mutual religious improvement. So far as is practicable, meet- 
ings are held by these lay brethren, in the evening, in the 
several districts in the town. On the following day a gen- 
eral meeting is held, at M'hich the pastors of those churches 
preach, aiming especially to confirm christians in the faith, 
to stir up their minds to the duty of constancy and zeal, and 
thus prepare them for a continued revival of religion. The 
eifect thus far has been signally happy." Meetings of this 
kind, held unitedly by the churches in Warner and l^rad- 
ford, are recorded as occurring May 2, 1827, October 23 and 
November 5, 1828. In October, 183G, a meeting was held for 
three days in Warner, at which there was preaching by the 
pastors of the churches in Bradford, West Concord and 
Henniker. Affectionate fellowship with neighboring churches 
has ever been cultivated, to the mutual benefit of all. 



44 

In October and November, 1827, special efforts were made 
to devise means "for bringing all the talent of the Church 
into requisition" in the work of Christ. The means then 
adopted for this most important object were the following : 
The appointment of a special season of fasting and prayer 
preceding the communion; a request to the standing com- 
mittee to visit allthe members of the church, converse with 
them about their religious experience, and invite them to the 
church iiist; the appointment of meetings in nine different 
districts of the town, to be held once in four weeks, under 
the superintendence of different brethren, who are named ; 
and also meeting once in three weeks alternately at the Upper 
Village, LoAver Village, and between the two, to be superin- 
tended by the pastor and others ; and that the Church encourage 
all the " minor members " (as the baptized children are 
called,) and others to attend Bible-class lectures by the 
pastor. 

January 1, 1829, a meeting of the Church Avas held, at 
•which reports were heard, as to the state of religion, from a 
committee who had been appointed to visit the Church and 
ongregation. It is not certain when this plan of visiting 
was first adopted, but it continued as late as 1857. Quite a 
number of the brethren, including the standing committee, 
going two and two, annually visited every member of the 
Church, and others, for conversation upon personal religion. 
Some of the older people speak with much interest of their 
recollections of the happy effects of this practice. Let us, 
beloved brethren who now compose this Church, lay deeply 
to heart the fact that, whether we adopt the former methods 
or not, we must, in order that the blessing of our Lord may 
attend us, each be yersonally active in His service. 

The years 1831 and 1832 were periods of especial atten- 
tion to religion. In June, 1831, the annual meeting of the 
Merrimack County Conference of Churches was held in 
Warner. The exercises were especially adapted to the state 



45 

of the Church, to quicken believers, and lead others to feel 
their need of salvation. The presence of the Lord was 
manifest, and within one week about thirty persons believed 
in Jesus. Writing in 1832, the pastor states, "Within five 
years past, nearly seventy children of the Church, who re- 
ceived the seal of the covenant in early life, have become 
hopefully pious in this town." 

The practice prevailed of sometimes especially renewing 
their covenant with God. On Sabbath, January 1, 18-32, the 
Church did this, when some others who hoped in Christ but 
had not publicly confessed their faith rose with them ; and 
several who had not been christians rose to thus express 
their determination to begin the year with God. Other sim- 
ilar seasons are recorded. 

During Mr. Wellman's ministry, in 1828, the Church first 
received aid from the New Hampshire Home Missionary 
Society. It was aided from 1828 to 1832, from 1837 to 
184:5, and from 1852 to 1863 ; in all, twenty-six years. 
During the intervening years it received no aid, and has re- 
ceived none since 18(j3. The whole amount appropriated 
to the Church by the Missionary Society is $2225. The 
largest appropriation made in any one year was $150, and 
the smallest, $25. 

While warmly grateful for the benefit this Society has con- 
ferred upon us and upon other chiuxhes, let us pray the 
Lord that we may be able ever hereafter to be independent, 
and cherish deeply the feeling that it is more honorable to 
sustain our own religious institutions to the utmost of our 
power. 

Time warns me to hasten to the close of this account of 
Mr. Wellman's ministry — passing over other subjects of in- 
terest. The account of the ministries of the susequent pas- 
tors must necessarily be brief. They are more within your 
recollection, so that detail is less needful. The full account 
of any christian church and its pastors can only be written 
in the experiences of human hearts and in heaven. 



4G 

Mr. Wellman resigned his pastorate November 12, 1836, 
imperatively constrained to it by ill health. His resignation 
was sorrowfully given and sorrowfully accepted. He was 
dismissed February 15, 1837, and on the same day Rev. 
Amos Blanchard was installed as pastor. The council met 
at the house of Mr. Nathan Walker. Rev. Dr. Nathan 
Lord, President of DarCmouth College, preached the ser- 
mon; and Mr. Wellman gave the charge to the pastor. 

Mr. Blanchard was born in Peacham, Vermont, Septem- 
ber 8, 1800. He worked on a^farm till he was seventeen 
years old, and then served an apprenticeship to the print- 
ing business at Montpelier. At the age of twenty-one he 
began academical studies, and pursued them three years; 
after which he entered Andover Theological Seminary, and 
graduated there in 1828. He went West, and for three years 
was editor of the Cincinnati Christian Journal. December 
9, 1832, he was installed pastor of the Congregational Church 
at Lyndon, Vt., and remained there until the winter of 1835. 
He was dismissed from Warner December 10, 1839, to ac- 
cept the pastorate of the church at'Meriden, N. H. The 
prospect of usefulness to the students of the Academy was 
a strong argument drawing him to that place, where he re- 
mained more than twenty-five years. He died at Barnet, 
Vt., January 6, 1869, aged sixty-eight. Mr. Blanchard was 
a very able preacher, — clear, attractive and discriminating. 
As a pastor he was faithful and efficient. 

During his brief ministry there was a good deal of relig- 
ous interest, and a considerable number were added to the 
Church. 

His successor was Rev. James AV. Perkins, who was in- 
stalled March 4, 1840. Mr. Perkins was born at Mont 
Vernon, N. H., and practised medicine for a time before en- 
tering the ministry. He studied theology -snth Rev. E. P. 
Bradford of New Boston, and preached for six years at New 
Hampton before coming to Warner. After leaving Warner, 



47 

he was pastor, or acting pastor, at East Alstead and Deering 
N. H., and since 1857 has been preaching at New Chester, 
Wisconsin. We greatly regret that he, as well as Mr. Ful- 
ler, cannot be with us to-day. Mr. Perkins' ministry in 
Warner was characterized by earnest, laborious effort to bring 
all the people under the influence of the gospel. He preached ' 
frequently in the district school-houses in various parts of 
the town. , He presented doctrinal truth with faithfulness, 
yet in a manner to conciliate attention. 

One or two events of interest which occurred in Mr. Per- 
kins' ministry may be alluded to in passing. January 13, 
1841, at a meeting held at the house of Mr. Jacob Chase, 
Mrs. Chase was received to the Church. Says the pastor: 
"The occasion was very interesting; Mrs. Chase, apparently 
near the eternal Avorld, having recently indulged a hope iu 
Christ and being desirous to profess Christ, was baptized, to- 
gether with her children ; and the Lord's Supper was cele- 
brated." The Church spent the two days preceding the 
communion iu January, 1842, in a special seeking after God. 
At that conimunion, one person Avas received to the Church 
on profession of faith, and baptism administered to a child. 
Says the pastor, "These circumstances, and the presence 
of the Savior, rendered the occasion one of much interest.'' 
The year 1842 was one of blessing to the Church. There 
was an extensive revival, and a large number united with 
God's people during this and the succeeding year. 

In regard to the Sabbath-school Mr. Perkins wrote, in the 
year 1840, "'The Sabbath-school at the meeting-house is 
large compared with the congregation, the latter averaging 
during the summer two hundred, and the former one hun- 
dred and seventy. Add to this those children taught by 
members of the Church in two other schools, and we have 
more persons under Sabbath-school instruction than make 
up the congregation on the Sabbath." 

Mr. Perkins was dismissed January 30, 184(i, and on June 



4S 

10 of the same year Rev. Robert W. Fuller was installed as 
his successor. The sermon at his installation Avas preached 
by Rev. Amos Blanchard, once pastor of the Church. Mr. 
Fuller was born at Milford, N. H., in 180T, and pursued his 
studies for the ministry at Gilmanton Theological Seminary. 
He was settled at Westmoreland, N. H., from .June 16, 1841 
to January 11, 1843. He then preached at Acworth for 
about two years. After leaving- Warner, he preached at 
Westmoreland South and Lempster. The state of liis health 
not permitting him to preach, he has resided for several years 
past at Stowe, Mass. Mr. Fuller was very sincere in labor- 
ing for what he believed to be»the best good of his people. 
His sermons were able, and his labors in some places were 
folloAved by God's blessing in many conversions. He was a 
man of strong will, and great independence. The fortnightly 
church conference was established during Mr. Fuller's min- 
istry, June 27, 1846. He was dismissed October 24, 1850. 

From February, 1851, to February, 1852, the pulpit was 
supplied by Mr. Abel Wood, who afterwards became a teacher 
in the Academy at Meriden. January 26, 1852, the Church 
invited him to become their pastoi", but he declined. The 
excellence of his sermons, and the worth of his personal 
character, left lasting impressions on- the minds of some of 
the people. 

August 1, 1852, Rev. Harrison O. Howland commenced 
supplying the pulpit. November 8, 1853, the Church gave 
him a call to settle, which he accepted. He was installed 
January 4, 1854, the sermon being preached by Dr. Bouton 
of Concord. Mr. Howland was born at West Brookfield, 
Mass., January 25, 1813. He graduated at Amherst College 
in 1840, and at Union Theological Seminary^ New York 
City, in 1844. He Avas settled first at Ashland, N. Y., then 
at Warner, and afterwards at Chester, N. H., and Girard, 
Pa. His labors at G irard were abundantly blessed by the con- 
version of large numbers to Christ- But the anxietv and 



49 

fatigue consequent upon these labors undermined his health, 
and he died February 13, 18Ti2, aged 58. He was an in- 
rtructive and eminently scriptui'al preacher. Love for the 
Bible Avas one of his most prominent characteristics. Just 
before the close of his life, when in the room of a sick 
daughter, he pointed to the ''Silent Comforter" upon the 
wall, open tor^these words of Job, " I have esteemed the 
Avords of his mouth more than mj- necessary food ; " and with 
an expressive look, (he Avas almost wholly voiceless,) he sig- 
nified that such were his feelings. He was a very sincere 
man, so self-distrustful that he kept himself back, and his 
kindness and deep interest in the welfare of others Avcre not 
always understood. He was a most earnest and faithful 
pastor. 

In September, 1856, the Church united with the churches 
of Bradford and Henuiker in mutual visiting; after Avhich, 
on October 1 and the two folloM'ing days, meetings were 
held at which the pastors of the churches in Bradford and 
Henniker preached . The meetings were blest to the reviving 
of religion in the Church, and the conversion of some souls. 
In June, 1857, Mr. Howland requested a dismission, that he 
might accept a call from the church in Chester, N. H. His 
statement of his reasons was, "I think I can thereby in- 
crease my own usefulness, and make better provision for my 
family; and this the Word of God makes it the duty of every 
christian man to do. "' Tlic people reluctantly consented to 
his dismission, which took place July 1, 1857. 

October 21, 1857, Rev. Daniel Warren Avas installed as 
pastor. Rev. Dr. William T. Savage of Franklin preached 
the sermon. Mr. Warren was born March 3, 1798, in 
Rochester, Vt., of which town his father was one of the first 
settlers. He served an apprenticeship to the carpenter's 
trade, but in the spring of 1820 entered upon a course of 
preparation for the ministry. He graduated at Bangor The- 
ological Seminary in 1825, two years after Mr. Wellman, 



50 

He was pastor of the church ia Waterbury, Vt., from 1825 
to 1838. He afterwards preached for different lengths of 
time in several towns in Vermont before coming to Warner.' 
After leaving this town, he did not again assume charge of 
a parish, but spent the remainder of his life at Lowell, Vt. 
Mr. Warren was a sound preacher, and commanded the re- 
spect of all as a sincere, upright, kind-hearted christian 
man. His dismissal from Warner occurred February 18, 
1863. 

March 29, 1863, Rev. Henry S. Huntington commenced 
supplying the pulpit of the Church. He preached until 
September, 186-1, when through sickness he was compelled 
for a "time to cease. Meanwhile the Church extended to 
him a call, which he accepted, and his ordination took place 
January 31, 1866. The sermon, which included the charge 
to the pastor, was preached by Rev. Dr. Hiram P. Arms, 
pastor of the First Congregational Church of Norwich, 
Conn., from i Timothy, iii. 1 : "If a man desire the office 
of a bishop, he desireth a good work." 

The history of the Church since then need not be re- 
counted, for it is fresh in your minds. It contains much for 
which to praise God, yet much of deficiency on our part to 
confess. We desire to see this whole community convinced 
of their sin and their lost condition, and becoming new 
creatures in Christ Jesus. Blit we bless the Lord for His 
work year after year, in the hearts of one and another, until 
many have believed and rejoiced in the Redeemer. May 
He come and impart to His people great Increase of f\iith, 
hope and love; and bring all this community — inheritors of 
an open Bible and a preached gospel — to feel that the one 
thing needful is personal faith in the only Redeemer of sin- 
ners. 

Thus we have recounted, very imperfectly, the history of 
this Church for a hundred years gone by. No other history 
is so sacred and important as that of the Church of Christ. 



51 

Every individual church, too, has its own personal character. 
In the history of our own Church some characteristics ap- 
pear which should be perpetually maintained. It has been 
characterized by a spirit of christian acthitij. Some* of 
the early pastors diligently cultivated this. Many of the 
members of the Church have been very faithful in atteudiny; 
the social meetings and participating in them, and in otlier- 
wise using theii* personal christian influence. When there 
has been most of this, there has been most of growth. Union 
and brotherly love, too, have generally prevailed to such an 
extent that they have been a characteristic of the Church. 
Persistence in maiMaimng religions institutions under difficul- 
ties has been another. One of the former pastors states that 
he traces back a very precious revival enjoyed at the begin- 
ning of his ministry, to a solemn and prayerful resolve 
formed by the Church about the time of the dismissal of his 
predecessor, "not to be without a pulpit supply a single 
Sabbath, if it could possibly be avoided." 

Let the christian virtues of the past be sacredly cherished 
by us upon whom the responsibility now rests. May this 
Church, receiving light from the blessed Sun of Righteous- 
ness, be itself, by its good works, a light in this comnumity. 
May it stand as a friend to the poor, the needy and troubled ; 
and above all, as a guide to those who, convicted of their 
.sin, seek a Savior. And may the cai'e and loving kindness 
of the Lord over this people for a hundred years greatly con- 
firm our trust in Him. 



APPENDIX. 



MINISTERS RAISED UP BY THIS CHURCH. 

[ Of the ministers whose names follow, the lirst five were 
members of our Church, the next two were the descendants 
of members, and the last was a constant attendant in the 
congregation.] 

John Morrill pursued his studies at Amherst College 
and Andover Theological Seminary, and has been a home 
missionary at the West. 

Daniel Sawyer studied- at Gilmanton Seminary, and has 
preached in New Hampshire. 

Reuben Kimkall studied at Gilmanton, and })reached in 
New Hampshire and Maine. 

Samuel Morrill graduated at Dartmouth College in 18->5, 
;and died while a member of Bangor Seminary. 

James ^Iadison Putney studied at Dartmouth, and euter- 
"ted the Episcopal ministry. His home was at the South. 

Eliot C. Cogswell, son of Dr. Joseph Cogswell, is 
vpreaching in .New Hampshire. 

Isaac Dalton Stewart, grandson of Deacon Isaac Dal- 
vton, is in the Freewill Baptist ministry. 

Asa Putney studied at Amherst College and Andover 
'Seminary, and has preached in Vermont. 

[Besides these, the following names should find a place 
here :] 

Richard Colby, whose parents were members of this 
Church, went, about 1830, as a missionary blacksmith among 
the Western Indians. 

Mrs. Lois S. Johnson, daughter of John and Judith 
Hoyt, — the latter a member of this Church — went, about 
1831, a« a missionary to the Sandwich Islands. 



BALLAD 

^YR1TTEN FOR THE CENTENMM. 



A hundred years have rolled along 
Their circlhig seasons, day by day, 

Since first, on yonder hill-top, drear, 
Our lathers met to praise and pray. 

An humble church, log-built and small. 
With naked rafter, cleated door, 

•Windows unglazed, and, thickly strewn. 
Rough seats upon a rougher floor. 

A single pine tree, left untouched 

Bv woodman's ax and woodland fire. 
With tow'ring height and ceaseless song, 

Answered for organ and for spire. 

• 

AVith angles fill'd Avith forest gloom. 
Deep as the falling shades of even, 

The place was still, like one of old — 

''The House of God, the Gate of Heaven."' 

And thither, Avhen the Aveek of toil 

Was clos'd, they gathered, old and young; 

Listened to serinonj joined in prayer, 

And glad the deaconed hymn they sung, 

And thither too, as years wore on. 

With reverent step and saddened eye, 

They brought their sacred dead to rest 
Where noAV^ unmarked, their ashes lie. 

But though to "formless ruin," gone — 
These early fathers, strong and just — 



54 



Their God, who notes the sparrow's fall, 
Watches ahd guards their hallowed dust. 

But larger crowds need larger room, 
And, sheltered by the oak-crown'd hill, 

A broader, higher temple rose ; 

Though rude, unfinished, cheerless, still 

Social distinction, oft ignored, 

Here ministered to man's weak pride ; 

Seats for tlie poor the centre fill'd. 
The rich built peu'5 on either side; 

Whose hinged scats, in prayer-time raised 
To give the people standing room, 

Fell with a crash Avhen prayer was clos'd, 
As if t' applaud the service done. 

Those quaint, square pews — to every child 

A sort of holy fairy-land, 
Where elf-folk stole from shadowy nooks 

And danced the night through, hand in hand. 

And fortunate the restless boy 

Who, in his Sunday garb array 'd, 
Could telegraph to neighboring boy 

Across the open balustrade. 

And happier yet the roguish wight 

Who sat a loosen'd pillar near, 
And sly the creaking plaything turned ; 

His ready laughter check'd by fear — 

For yonder stood ,the tithing-man 

With staff upraised, and stern-set eye ; 

And well he knew the darksome vault 
That waited for the naughty boy. 



55 



While rrom the gallery's dizzy height 
The older youths look'd meekly down, 

And " felt or feigned " a wholesome fear, 
Awed by the same portentious frown. 

No cushioned pulpit tower'd in air, 
For priest in sacred vestments clad ; 

A " table round," an antique chair. 
For years was all the desk they had. 

And, duly as the Sabbath came, 
Upon a platform, rude but large, 

The pastor preach'd God's holy truth 
To the dear people of his charge. 

No bigot he; but, mild and just. 
He hated controversial strife ; 

And teaching love to God and man. 
Enforced his precepts by his life. 

But richer grown, in later yeai's, 

The toAvn, to do the handsome thing, 

Once passed a " vote unanimous " 
"To build a pulpit in the Spring." 

And soon the pond'rous structure rose, 
(Its height imprcss'd the childish mind) 

An architectural nondescript, 

Turret and mortar -shape combined. 

Whate'er of symmetry, or grace. 
Or furnishing the thing might lack. 

To make it grand beyond compare, 
A patch of plaster graced its back. 

And since the house was else embrown'd, 
And spider-webs its rafters furl'd. 



56 



This glistening strip of virgin white 

" Shone like good deed in naughty world:"' 

Small share of luxury or state 

Enjoy'd our sires in those old days ; 

Railroad and stage-coach all unknown. 
None own'd a wagon, gig or chaise. 

But when the sultry Summer's sun 
Made useless Winter's cumbrous car, 

(A sled, by panting cattle drawn,) 

The horse to church the household bore: 

The husband in the saddle placed, 
The wife on pillion proudly reared ; 

One aim was round her infant thrown, 
The other tightly clasped her lord. 

Faith in the supernatural, 

^ Which named old Salem's "Callow's Hill;'' 
Though banished thence by civil law, 
Ran riot in the country still. 

And to its life's too stagnant stream 
Ripples of fear and fun supplied ; 

The old still talk'd of witch's power, 

The younger, charms and projects tried. - 

Shades of our fathers ! oh, forgive 
The pitying smile, the seeming sneer 

With which we name your weaker deeds,;. 
Your frugal habits, customs queer. 

And knoM' that deep within our hearts. 

And not unconsciously, is hid 
True veneration for your worth, — 

Praise for the noble acts you did. 



You smoothed for us the rugged way, 
With the stern courage virtue yields ; 

Wrested from forest and from rock, 
'J'he smiling verdure of our fields. 

You planted schools around the church; 

You raised the dam beside the mill; 
Built bridges, and the broad highways you wrought^ 

Your children travel still. 

And when the infant nation's strength 

Was crippled by a tyrant's sway, 
\oi/r voices swcU'd the rallying cry — 

Your arms help'd win the well-fought day. 

And if in fairer temples now 

We serve the God our fathers feared; — 
If prouder halls of learning rise, 

And richer plenty crowns our board, — 

"Tis but the fruitage and the bloom 
Of seed you sowed in those far years ; 

And as our hearts revievr the past, 

We thank you here 'mid smiles and tears. 

Nor would oiu* lips or hearts forget 

The meed of gratitude to pay 
To those Avhosc largess swells the list 

Of gifts Ave proudly name to day. 

The rich-voic'd bell's sonorous clang, 

The organ's sweeter, softer tones, 
These church walls, rising fresh and fair, 

Attest how generous are your sons. 

'Tis natural, perhaps, that men 

Should bless the place that gave them birth f 



58 



TBut she must be a inatiou rare 

Whose Foster-sons dechire her Avorth. 

.And schools endowed for future years, 
And gifts that grace religion's fame, 

. Show Warner how adopted sons, 

In more than Avords, revere her name. 

May the Good Hand that led our sires 
In safety through life's toilsome day 
-Guard us, their children, wheresoe'er 
Cur varying paths may stray. 

Keep us from enmity and strife ; 

Save from detraction's with'ring pow'r; 
Guide us in Honor's Avay and Truth's; 

Protect us in temptation's hour. 

Save from the skeptic's blasting doubt. 

And keep froin passion's baleful fire-: ; 
s God bless our native town, 

And make her children worthv of their sires. 



POEM 

WRITTEN FOR THE OCCASION. 



BV ALFRED W. SARGENT. 



At the first dawn of the past century, 

Within our town were met a little band 

Who loved and sought the Lord. 

Like us in vigor and like us in prime, 

In soul akin to the brave Pilgrim band 

Who from the grasp of persecution, o'er 

The trackless main lied darkling, Avhile o'er sail 

And shroud, stern Winter's hand congealed full oft 

A glittering canopy. 

In numbers few ; in courage, hope and faitli 

Alike united ; they together met, 

Thus by the Spirit influenced to plant 

This little branch of the far-spreading vine. 

And as the few who stood an age before 

On Plymouth Rock, their heartfelt praises sung ; 

Or in the forest knelt, 'mid Winter's snow, 

'Neath giant boughs outspread, their tribute poured, 

Of grateful thanks and faith-begotten prayer, 

Forth to the Mightiest. Thus, an age agone. 

Our fathers met in place scarce tenable. 

While Nature slept, — hill, forest, vale and stream 

]3y cold embrace of icy Winter bound — 

In a rude hut of forest trunks upreared, 

They first assembled, there to worship God. 

No glowing embers burned within the place. 

Nor cheerful warmth was there, save of the soul 

Uplift in contemplation elevate 

Of God, creation, sin and providence, 

And matchless grace to save rebellious man. 



60 



'Twas thus- they met in. christian fellowshipV 

By love fraternal each to other bound; 

Together offering love and prayer and praise, 

Their early and accepted- sacrifice. 

For God looked down, e'en from the glorious throne' 

Of Triune Deity, the faitihful few 

Regarding, and to bless- in love divine; 

And by his Spirit came and filled the jilace. 

Since then a hundred years have passed awayy 

Eventful years, whose varied scenes are traced ^ 

Of good and ill, on the' historic page. 

Nations liavc risen in strengtli and maj-esty; 

Armies have met in hostile strife arrayed, 

For power contending; earth has reeked with blood j 

Empires and realms have crumbled and decayed; 

But still God's churcli and providence endure. 

One hundred vears, a livlnij witness each 

Of God's good providence, extend e'en from. 

The present, down the circling age unto 

The hoary past. They rise before us now, 

And throng around,, a cloud of witnesses. 

List to their voice omnipotent divine: 

Of God they speak, time and eternity. 

Of earthly strife, but endless peace in heaven:. 

And as their last fleet moments glide away, 

'Twere sweet to feel their parting inspiration. 

Thus we meet; we who full oft within these 

Hallowed Avails assembling, seek owv fathers' 

Covenant God. 

And others meet; with cordial hand outstretched, 

We bid you welcome to our hearts and homes 

And blest communion ; sbou with you to sit 

At Christ's own table, and with you partake 

The sacred elements, remembering thus 

A Savior's dying love. For us lie died.;. 



6a 



For him so let us live, by faith entire. 
Implicit in his word and power, henceforth 
■Contending for the endless prize of full 
Salvation, that when ages past, to their 
Embrace the coming age receive; upon 
Whose threshold dim we faintly stand and strive 
In vain; though longing oft to pierce its dark 
Uncertain vista; then accepted, blest 
In the Beloved, with him to sit down, 
With prophets, kings, apostles, martyrs, saints, 
In (jod's high Paradise before the throne, 
•Or on the shores of the empyreal stream, 
O'ershaded by the tree of life, adorned 
With golden fruits divine, and healing leaves, 
And clust'ring ilowers of amaianth, intwined 
By angel hands, to bloom celestial fair, 
Their grace reflecting of the crystal stream. 
While heavenly zephyrs purest fragrance waft 
Through all the New Jerusalem, may we, 
Throuarh heaven's centennials evermore sit down 
Unto the marmage supper of the Lamb. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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